William Shakespeare has been quoted, misquoted, studied, and debated for centuries. His insights into life, love, the human condition, and much more have been the subject of countless works of art. Legions of Shakespeare enthusiasts ponder, consider, and often cite some of the most famous lines ever written. In this article, we’ll explore some of his widely known and beloved quotes, discover lesser-known gems, and gain insight into the genius of one of the greatest writers that ever lived.
Who Was William Shakespeare?
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright widely considered the greatest writer of the English language. He is the author of thirty-eight plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and a variety of other poetry. Born in 1564, his works span numerous genres, languages, and bring to life some of the most timeless and beloved characters. His works explore themes of love, death, revenge, family, friendship, and more, challenging us to consider these ideas in a new light.
Famous William Shakespeare Quotes
There are countless well-known quotes from the plays and poems of William Shakespeare. Here are a few of the most famous and often-quoted:
“To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
And by opposing end them.” —Hamlet
“All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts.” —As You Like It
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet” —Romeo and Juliet
“Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them” —Twelfth Night
“Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.” – A Midsummer Night’s Dream
50 Best Lines from William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare is rich with quotes and best lines. Here are 50 of his best, ranging from drama to tragedy to comedy.
- “Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be morrow” – Romeo and Juliet
- “O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?” – Romeo and Juliet
- “Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none” – All’s Well That Ends Well
- “Is this a dagger which I see before me?” – Macbeth
- “Our remedies oft in ourselves do lie” – All’s Well That Ends Well
- “But love is blind, and lovers cannot see” – The Merchant of Venice
- “And this, our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in every thing.” – As You Like It
- “If music be the food of love, play on.” – Twelfth Night
- “They do not love that do not show their love.” – The Two Gentlemen of Verona
- “Be great in act, as you have been in thought.” – King John
- “All that glisters is not gold.” – The Merchant of Venice
- “Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.” – Julius Caesar
- “Ignorance is the curse of God; knowledge is the wing wherewith we fly to heaven.” – Henry IV
- “Love sought is good, but giv’n unsought is better.” – Twelth Night
- “What is past is prologue.” – The Tempest
- “Love comforteth like sunshine after rain” – Venus and Adonis
- “The course of true love never did run smooth.” – A Midsummer Night’s Dream
- “If you prick us, do we not bleed?” – The Merchant of Venice
- “The empty vessel makes the loudest sound.” – Much Ado About Nothing
- “Be – not thy tongue thy own shame’s orator.” – Othello
- “Life every man holds dear; but the dear man holds honour far more precious-dear than life.” – Henry V
- “How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world.” – The Merchant of Venice
- “The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.” – The Merchant of Venice
- “Frailty, thy name is woman!” – Hamlet
- “Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t.” – Hamlet
- “Men at some time are masters of their fates.” – Julius Caesar
- “Better three hours too soon than a minute too late.” – The Merry Wives of Windsor
- “If you can look into the seeds of time, and say which grain will grow and which will not, speak then to me.” – Macbeth
- “Men’s eyes were made to look, and let them gaze.” – Othello
- “How can you say to no? Nay, without exception” – Much Ado About Nothing
- “Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt.” – Measure for Measure
- “This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England.” – Richard II
- “The very substance of the ambitious is merely the shadow of a dream.” – A Midsummer Night’s Dream
- “Lord, what fools these mortals be!” – A Midsummer Night’s Dream
- “A jest’s prosperity lies in the ear of him that hears it.” – Much Ado About Nothing
- “Let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments.” – Sonnet 116
- “We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep.” – The Tempest
- “To thine own self, be true.” – Hamlet
- “There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.” – Hamlet
- “As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods; they kill us for their sport.” – King Lear
- “All that live must die, passing through nature to eternity” – Hamlet
- “A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool.” – As You Like It
- “Nevertheless the consolation of my sonnets doth much lie in themselves” – The Phoenix and Turtle
- “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears!” – Julius Caesar
- “The miserable have no other medicine but only hope.” – Measure for Measure
- “Yond side is Crowley, the other Verona.” – Romeo and Juliet
- “To die, to sleep, no more; and by a sleep to say we end the heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to.” – Hamlet
- “A good leg will fall; a straight back will stoop.” – As You Like It
- “Speak of me as I am. nothing extenuate, nor set down aught in malice.” – Othello
- “For I must tell you friendly in your ear, sell when you can: you are not for all markets.” – As You Like It
Lesser-Known William Shakespeare Quotes
The following are some of the lesser-known quotes from the works of William Shakespeare.
- “My love is as a fever, longing still for that which longer nurseth the disease.” – Romeo and Juliet
- “For leaving unwitnessed such a deed, no eye to witness it, no tongue to tell it” – As You Like It
- “Fishes live in the sea, as men do a-land; the great ones eat up the little ones.” – King Henry VI
